Unbeknownst to Me, I am Secretly Dating the Emperor - Chapter 193

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 193
After seeing Ed off, I changed into my riding clothes as well.
Then, leading Nelda, whom I’d borrowed from Ed, I headed toward the field near the Separate Palace where the horse race was to be held.
I thought I’d come early enough, but by the time I arrived, all the betting participants were already there.
“Welcome.”
Rosina, the first to spot me, greeted me.
“I’m not terribly late, am I?”
“No, you’ve arrived at just the right moment.”
It wasn’t mere politeness—the rules explanation only began after I arrived.
“You start simultaneously, circle the track once, and whoever reaches here first wins. And……”
The rules explanation was detailed, perhaps out of consideration for those participating for the first time.
Once everyone understood the rules, the competition began immediately.
“Then, the first riders from each team.”
I was the first for our team.
The other side apparently had no intention of competing seriously at first, as Ibeta was their first rider.
‘Are they matching beginners against each other?’
Though Ibeta had better athletic ability than me, I was the one who’d learned horsemanship first.
It seemed like it could be worth a try.
I patted Nelda’s back with the intention of asking for her best effort.
Nelda, whose intelligence supposedly surpassed that of most children, pawed lightly at the ground as if to say: trust only in me.
‘I really am counting on you alone.’
Thanks to Nelda, I came to understand what Helen had once told me: “In horsemanship, the horse’s ability is just as important as the rider’s.”
Nelda was clever enough to grasp the course on her own—and she was fast.
‘They did say she had a prickly temperament.’
But from what I’d experienced directly, she seemed merely reserved.
Up until the harvest festival, I’d done nothing but practice clinging to Nelda as she ran at full speed alongside Ed.
The intelligent Nelda had gradually increased her pace just enough that I could endure it.
It was closer to being transported than actually riding, but I was satisfied with the speed at least.
‘If I can just hold on to the end today, I have a real chance.’
As I steeled my resolve, Ibeta gently patted her own horse—a striking cream-colored, glossy-coated animal—and smiled at me.
I smiled back at Ibeta.
It seemed like it would be an enjoyable competition regardless of the outcome.
But contrary to the warm atmosphere between us riders, the horses were engaged in a battle of nerves.
‘To be honest, it was entirely one-sided on Nelda’s part.’
Ibeta’s horse looked as gentle in temperament as in appearance.
I gripped Nelda’s reins firmly, ready to charge at Ibeta’s horse at any moment.
Everyone—Ed and the stable master alike—had spoken in unison about Nelda being difficult.
‘I’d thought they meant she was harder to handle than the horse I usually practiced on, a warning to be careful.’
Seeing how she was marking Ibeta’s horse, I realized it was no exaggeration at all.
Ibeta and I soothed our respective mounts before mounting.
As soon as I mounted, Nelda became remarkably well-behaved, and Ibeta’s horse edged closer to me.
Was it a timid sort of revenge for what Nelda had just done to her?
But fortunately there was no aggression in it—she seemed merely to be showing off her exceptionally beautiful form.
“Oh, she’s lovely.”
I couldn’t help but praise the beauty of the mare right in front of me.
As if understanding my words, Ibeta’s horse let out a satisfied whinny.
Nelda snorted dismissively and pawed the ground in displeasure.
“You’re magnificent.”
Seeing how jealous Nelda was—taking after her owner, perhaps—I hastily offered her praise, and her irritated snorting subsided.
Yet she still looked considerably displeased.
A belated warning came to mind: if she doesn’t like her rider, she’ll throw them off.
I worked hard to appease Nelda.
“You’re the best, Nelda. You’re number one!”
As I heaped on compliments, she even stopped pawing at the ground.
‘This part is exactly like Ed too.’
I sighed softly where only I could hear it.
As if waiting for this moment, a whistle sounded and the race began.
The moment the whistle blew, Nelda bolted forward like an arrow loosed from a bow.
As if to prove she was far superior to Ibeta’s horse.
She was moving much faster than during practice, so I clenched the reins with all my strength and gritted my teeth to avoid being thrown.
Thanks to Nelda navigating the curved course on her own, I barely managed to stay on.
And so the distance between Ibeta and me grew steadily wider.
Even after gaining sufficient lead, Nelda ran faster still.
As if she had far more to display.
Then, as soon as she crossed the finish line, she let out a proud whinny.
Our team erupted in cheers at this unexpected strong showing.
My hair was a mess from the headwind of such unfamiliar speed, and my whole body ached from gripping so hard.
I was too dazed even to feel the joy of victory, but I showered Nelda with praise for her effort.
After a considerable time had passed, Ibeta came in.
“Lina won!”
Ibeta leaped from her horse and laughed.
When Ibeta, my opponent, cheerfully acknowledged my victory, even her team extended their applause to me.
Still, the race between Ibeta and me had been more like a practice round.
“Then next is…….”
What followed were fiercely contested matches.
Our team won the horse race 11 to 10, buoyed by my unexpected strong performance.
By the time the horse race ended, the morning had flown by.
We ate from our packed lunches in a picnic atmosphere and rested.
Unlike the competitive fire of moments before, the rest period was nothing but warm and friendly.
The attendants who’d come with us had set up targets across the field in the meantime.
The horses were tied to nearby trees for a while.
Once the rest period ended, competitive mode activated once more.
“Archery should favor us.”
“That’s right. A comeback is what makes it fun.”
Ibeta’s teammates, having conceded one game in the morning, steeled their resolve.
We met their gaze with caution and resolved ourselves as well.
In the Archery Competition, I was assigned to go second.
The other team would likely field Ibeta first, but the attendants had testified that Ibeta’s archery skill was superior to mine.
Empowered by my closest companions’ assessment, it was decided I would face the strongest archer from Ibeta’s team.
That turned out to be the lady who drew the second position.
‘I’ll probably lose, but I’ll do my best.’
Bes, herself a beginner, stepped forward to face Ibeta.
Their head-to-head record was narrowly in Bes’s favor.
Then suddenly the ground trembled, and birds shot into the air with force.
“Why—what’s happening?”
“It’s an earthquake!”
“It’s not an earthquake. Only this area is shaking!”
Lucy, assessing the situation with calm, called out.
“Get as far back as possible! Don’t go toward the trees—you might be buried!”
At Lucy’s warning, we who’d been lined up around the targets ran hard to escape.
Just as we were nearly clear of the field, the center of it split open.
And what appeared was…….
* * *
The High Priest and the Dark Mages had successfully infiltrated the Temple under cover of night.
The Temple too was in disarray from the Emperor’s knights having overturned it once before, but as expected, there were still Priests loyal to him.
With their help, the High Priest and the Dark Mages hid themselves in a secret chamber.
After a busy dawn, morning arrived.
The area outside the Temple was in such turmoil it even reached the secret space disguised as the Food Storage.
“Search every corner! We know for certain the criminal is inside the Temple.”
“Those who obstruct the execution of the Imperial decree will answer for harboring the criminal!”
The Emperor’s dogs had arrived far too quickly.
“This looks like some trap has been set.”
A belated regret arose—he should have proceeded more carefully—but the commotion was drawing ever closer.
“Check here. The signal’s coming from this area.”
The footsteps grew nearer by the moment.
‘They must have cast Tracking Magic on us.’
Though Holy Power and magic differed somewhat, if the Magic Formula was woven with such precision that even a High Priest couldn’t detect it, it seemed the Magic Tower Master had taken direct action.
‘I’ve been outmaneuvered.’
The High Priest tried to assess the situation coolly.
The Dark Mages could only hide in underground tunnels; they lacked the ability to unravel or counter advanced tracking spells like this.
If they ran, they would eventually be caught.
‘Then perhaps…….’
The High Priest, having accepted his fate, gathered the Dark Mages who were hiding with him.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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